Australia Imposes Night Curfew in Outback Town Alice Springs After Violence
Australia ordered three nights of curfew on Monday (Jul 8) in the outback tourist town of Alice Springs after several incidents of violence, including an alleged assault on four off-duty police officers.
Alice Springs, Australia, imposed a three-night curfew following violent incidents, including an attack on off-duty police officers. The curfew, from 10pm to 6am, aims to address ongoing concerns over alcohol-related violence in the tourist town.
Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said "significant harm and civil disturbances" had occurred over the last 72 hours in Alice Springs.
The officers were attacked when they were walking home and it was not immediately known if the offenders identified them as police, Murphy told reporters. The curfew will be in force from 10pm to 6am
"If I believe an extension is required I will put that in writing ... about the reasons why I think that should occur," he said.
A two-week youth curfew was declared in March in Alice Springs after a mass brawl involving 150 people. Community leaders have long identified alcohol abuse as a major factor behind violence.
Alice Springs, a remote town in Australia's vast outback region about 2,000km northwest of Sydney, is the gateway to major tourist attractions including the giant red sandstone monolith of Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
